Page 59 of Cipher

She rattled off one that sounded familiar.

“Are you hurt?”

“No. He didn’t hit me. He just…he was so angry. Throwing things. Looking for money and his gun.”

It took me a moment to place her voice from the sporadic, polite conversations we’d had over the years. “Mrs. Pritchard? It’s Bex Raines.”

Department policy was to only use my first name instead of employee number when needed to connect with a caller so they’d remain calm, but this wasn’t a stranger. And the situation wasn’t ordinary. I felt deviating from the rules was warranted. If I got in trouble for the decision, so be it.

A broken cry came over the line. “Bex. Oh my gosh.”

“You’re safe right now. The bedroom door is locked,” I reminded her. “I need you to stay on the line with me. Is anyone else in the house?”

“No. It’s just me.”

“Good. Take a breath with me. In through your nose…out through your mouth. That’s it. Can you tell me what happened?”

She did, in fragments I pulled into order. Seth had come home furious yesterday after being placed on leave. His anger had only increased as he tore through the house looking for cash and weapons. Then it escalated even more tonight when he was talking to someone on the phone, saying Pike had ruined everything.

“I want to make sure I have this information down right. Seth left your home with his personal handgun, a duffel bag, and cash?”

“Yes, maybe fifteen minutes ago,” she confirmed. “I locked myself in the bedroom and called you in case he comes back.”

“And he didn’t physically injure you?”

Her muffled sob filled the line before she answered, “No, he didn’t hurt me.”

“I’m really glad to hear that. Did you see which way he went?” I asked.

“No, but it sounded like he was headed east.” She sniffled. “He has an appointment to take his truck in for a muffler repair on his next day off, so it’s louder than usual.”

“You’re doing great, Mrs. Raines.”

“Susan, please,” she corrected. “If you’re old enough to work dispatch, then you should use my first name.”

Her request reminded me so much of her husband that it made me want to cry, but I managed to keep my voice steady. “You’re right, Susan.”

“Thank you, Bex.”

“Just doing my job.” I added more notes to the CAD so the unit I dispatched would have a fuller picture when they arrived. “I’m going to get help to you and pass this information on right now.”

“You’re doing your job well.”

Her compliment let me know she had herself back under control, so I dug deeper than I normally would have during an emergency call. “Do you have any idea where Seth might be headed?”

“When he was on the phone, I heard him say they were meeting at the old pit.”

There was only one place that fit that term, the abandoned county burn site off the rural road. That had to have been where Corbin was headed when he called me just before I picked up this line.

“That helps a lot, Susan. Stay on with me until a unit is at your door. Only a couple more minutes now.”

While I spoke, I was hyper aware that every detail I typed in the system was being mirrored to Corbin. But this was personal for my dad too, so he needed to know what was going down right now. Grabbing my cell from the drawer, I fired off a quick text.

Me

Seth left home armed. Meeting at the old pit. Eastbound. Wife safe, locked in bedroom. Unit almost there.

I hit send without leaving the call.